ARTICLES ABOUT TAX BY DATE - PAGE 2

Read on — the lights will be on at both the city's libraries well into prime time on weeknights. Beginning with the city's new fiscal year on Oct. 1, both city libraries will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, the Boca Raton City Council decided Thursday. Since the 2008-09 year, the city was saving money by alternating weekday evening hours between the Spanish River Library and the Downtown Library. So, one of the libraries was closed at 6 p.m. But at the city's final budget hearing Thursday, Mayor Susan Haynie and Councilman Robert Weinroth asked for $125,000 to be added to the city budget so both libraries remain open weeknights.

Happy Freebie Friday! It's time for another fabulous freebie free-for-all! Ahoy, M! It's Talk Like a Pirate, where ye cockswain can get free Krispy Kreme doughnuts, shop tax-free for Energy Star appliances and WaterSense products through Sunday. Also, wenches and scallywags are lining up for two new Apple iPhone 6 models, which hit stores today. See how you can get one for free from AT&T and Verizon. Meanwhile, Publix is offering $10 off gas cards through Sunday. Here's to a savings-filled weekend.

Each election year, the fiscally conservative watchdog group Florida TaxWatch releases a guide to the year's crop of state constitutional amendments. The 2014 guide came out this week (you can see it at the end of this post). In its press release heralding the arrival of the guide, Florida TaxWatch explained, "The guide contains clear, concise, nonpartisan information to aid voters in making an informed decision at the polls. The Voter Guide does not suggest a yes or no vote for each proposed amendment, but does provide information on what a yes or no vote means.

Go green and save green when Florida's first-ever tax holiday for Energy Star and WaterSense products kicks off Friday through Sunday. In Broward and Palm Beach County, consumers can pocket 6 percent sales tax and score extra savings during retail sales on eligible appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers, as well as water-conserving products like toilets, faucets and shower heads. In Miami-Dade County, residents save 7 percent sales tax. The tax exemption applies to the first $1,500 of select products.

City leaders wrangled at the 11 t h hour Monday over whether to give homeowners a tax break, even though it would require making drastic budget cuts on the fly. Three hours into the meeting, Commissioner Kevin Biederman urged lowering the tax rate to $698 per $100,000 of assessed value rather than "rubber-stamping" the proposed rate of $780 — the rate approved earlier this year. Finance Director Matt Lalla said lowering the tax rate would mean slashing the city's $219.4 million budget by $5.5 million, the equivalent of 42 staff positions.

Deerfield Beach gave final approval to its tax rate and budget for fiscal year 2015 on Monday night, keeping the tax rate the same and setting a budget that's about $8 million more than this year's. The tax rate of about $6.77 per $1,000 of property value will not change from this fiscal year to the next. The budget increased from $146,082,742 to $154,198,409. Much of the increase in revenue came from property taxes, which were up by about $1.3 million thanks to increased property values, and from revenue from permits and other fees.

Margate residents will get a decrease in the millage rate this year, and the fire fee is staying the same. At the first reading of next year's proposed budget, which comes in at about $97.85 million, city commissioners voted in a reduction of the millage rate to make up for an increase in property values in Broward County . The millage will be set at 7.3093, which is 0.25 lower than what the city had recommended to the commission earlier in...

Commissioners are keeping the city's tax rate for its operating budget unchanged for the eighth consecutive year, but rising property values mean the city will collect 6.23 percent more in property taxes this year. Few people turned out Wednesday as commissioners approved a budget and set the city's new property tax rate and fire fee. The city's total tax rate, including for voter-approved debt, is $4.32 for each $1,000 of assessed value. The owner of a $200,000 home who receives a $50,000 homestead exemption will pay $647 in city taxes.

The Boca Raton City Council approved a preliminary tax rate for next year that is essentially level with the current year and gave a final approval to the same $85 per household fire fee as this year. The council is slated to finalize the tax rate at its next budget hearing at 6 p.m., Sept. 18. Boca's tax rate will be at least $3.71 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That represents a decrease of one penny per $1,000 of assessed value because of a drop in the city's debt service.